The likelihood of an indeterminate test result from a whole-blood interferon-gamma release assay for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in children correlates with age and immune status.

Background: Interferon-gamma release assays for the diagnosis of infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis have been increasingly used in recent years and are endorsed by national guidelines, but experience regarding their use in children is still limited.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the routine use of the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube assay (QFT-IT) in a pediatric tertiary care center with a high prevalence of immunocompromising conditions. The relationship between age, immune status, and likelihood of an indeterminate test result was analyzed using logistic regression analysis and fractional polynomials.

Increased incidence of EBV-related disease following paediatric stem cell transplantation with reduced-intensity conditioning.

The incidence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) viraemia and lymphoproliferative disease (LPD) was studied in a consecutive cohort of 128 paediatric patients undergoing stem cell transplantation (SCT) with reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC; n = 65) or conventional-intensity conditioning (CIC; n = 68). Following CIC, six of 68 (8%) developed viraemia; all remained asymptomatic. EBV viraemia (23 of 65 patients = 35%, P < 0.